Cigarette dispenser



Feb. 13, 1968 w. BEHA ETAL 3,368,715

CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed May 17, 1966 Inventor W/MTEE 55/44 FEED) MUC/l/0L A TTOIPNEYS'.

United States PatentO 3,368,715 CIGARETTE DISPENSER Walter Beha and Fredy Muschiol, Frankfurt am Main,

Germany, assignors to Schoeller & Co. Elektrotechnische Fabrik, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed May 17, 1966, Ser. No. 550,813 Claims priority, application Germany, May 26, 1965, Sch 37,130 7 Claims. (Cl. 221-147) ABSTRACT. OF THE DISCLOSURE A dispening unit for transporting a cigarette into engagement with an ignition device and then transporting the lighted cigarette to an access opening in a cigarette dis penser is disclosed. This dispensing unit is an improvement on the dispensing unit shown in Rott et al. US.

Patent No. 2,936,930.

The dispensing unit includes a claw slidable along a trough between the ignition device or lighter and the access opening of the dispensing unit. A spring biased clip is pivoted on the claw to clamp a cigarette in the claw during transport from the cigarette receiving position to the lighter and from the lighter to the dispensing opening. Feeler means, in the form of a pin slidably mounted on the clamp but pivotal with the latter, are provided in engagement with a templet extending along the trough. The pin, in engagement with the templet, pivots the clip to the opened position when the claw is in the cigarette receiving position, and provides for the claw to pivot to the cigarette clamping position as the cigarette approaches the lighter. The pin and the templet further provide, due to the slidable mounting of the pin, for the clamp to remain in the cigarette clamping position during transport of the lighted cigarette from the lighter to a position just in advance of the dispensing opening. As the cigarette is moved further toward the dispensing opening by the claw, the pin and the templet cooperate to swing the clip to the opened position so that the cigarette may be readily removed from the claw through the dispensing opening.

This invention relates to cigarette dispensers and, more particularly, to an improved dispensing unit for transporting a cigarette into engagement with an ignition device and then transporting the lighted cigarette to an access opening whereat the user may pick a lighted cigarette from the unit.

In particular, the present invention is directed to an improvement upon the cigarette transport unit included in the automatic cigarette dispenser shown in Rott et al. US. Patent No. 2,936,930, issued May 17, 1960. The Rott et al, patent discloses a cigarette dispenser which has a storage hopper 1 for cigarettes, a stationary electric igniter or lighter and a conveyor means or transport unit which moves the cigarettes individually from storage chamber 1 to the lighter 5 where the individual cigarette is ignited. The transport unit then carries the ignited cigarette in a reverse direction to an opening in the front wall of a housing G through which the lighted cigarette may be withdrawn by the user.

As each individual cigarette Z drops from the magazine 1 upon actuation of a push rod, it falls into a holding claw 4 of the transport unit, this claw including a spring biased clip 4a which clamps the cigarette. The claw is guided in a straight bottom slot 27 of a trough 28 extending rectilinearly between the igniter 5 and the opening in the forward wall of the casing.

The storage space 1 of the dispenser is provided with pivoted bottom walls 50 and 51, the wall 50 having a displaceable section 15 associated therewith which has a downturned inner end. The plate 15 forms an inclined closure plate and is operated by a slide 9 which, in turn, is operated by pushing a displaceable rod, having an operating end projecting through the front wall. There is a downwardly extending lug 25 on the slider 9 which forms a trough 25, in cooperation with the downwardly extending edge portion of the inclined closure plate 15, and the bottom of this latter trough 25 is formed by a fixed sheet member 19. The lowermost cigarette Z of the cigarette supply in the magazine chamber 1 is in trough 25 in advance of operation of the dispenser.

When operation of the dispenser is initiated, the slide '9 pivots the walls 50 and 51 upwardly and moves the inclined closure plate inwardly to prevent any cigarette, other than the one already in the trough 25, from dropping into the claw 4. During the movement of the slide 9 responsive to initiation of the dispenser operation, the lug 25 thereon engages with the spring biased clip 4a on the claw 4 to swing this clip back against its spring bias and allow the lowermost cigarette Z in the trough 25 to fall into the claw 4. As the slider 9 is retracted, spring clip 4a is released and clamps cigarette Z in claw 4. The operation of the dispenser, when once initiated, is such that the claw 4 then transports the cigarette to the rear of the casing to engage an end thereof with the lighter 5 and, after a predetermined interval, to reverse its movement along the trough 28 to bring the lighted cigarette to the aforementioned opening in the front wall of the casing where the cigarette may be withdrawn from the claw.

When the lighted cigarette is removed from the claw through the opening in the front wall of the housing, the spring clip of the claw is still in its closing position and the cigarette must be pulled out of the claw against the clamping action of the spring clip. Frequently, this results in damage to the cigarette or even detachment of the lighted end thereof by the clip. Consequently, the cigarette must be re-lit. While this occurs only infrequently, it is, nevertheless, an operational disadvantage of the cigarette dispenser disclosed in Rott et al. Patent No. 2,936,930.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved transport unit for the above-mentioned cigarette dispenser and with which the above-mentioned disadvantages are avoided.

Another object of the invention is to provide a transport unit for the above-mentioned cigarette dispenser and in which the clip is opened to provide for removal of the lighted cigarette therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an improved transport unit which is removable, as a unit, from the cigarette dispenser for inspection, maintenance and repair.

In accordance with the invention, these objects are achieved preferably by arranging a feeler pin on the pivotal spring clip of the claw. This feeler pin engages and runs along a control templet provided in the guide trough of the claw for controlling the opening and closing movements of the clip. Desirably, the control templet is formed integrally with the trough and provided with inclined or cam surfaces. The feeler pin can be spring biased and mounted for displacement longitudinally of itself relative to pin support arms or the like projecting from the spring clip on the claw.

A bush is secured to the feeler pin and serves as a seat for one end of a coil spring, embracing the pin and having its other end bearing against the arm on the spring clip. The feeler pin thus has a limited displacement longitudinally of itself, under the spring bias, relative to the projecting arms. The entire transport unit, including the trough formed with the control templet, and the claw slidably mounted in the trough, is preferably designed as a unit which can be removed from the housing of the cigarette dispenser. This is desirable since the claw and the trough, during operation of the dispenser, are exposed to contamination by tar from deposited smoke, tobacco and ash residues, and with the invention arrangement the unit can be removed from the housing of the dispenser for cleaning, maintenance and repair.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cigarette transport unit embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the transport unit;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the transport unit, with the holding clip closed; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but with the cigarette holding clip open.

Referring to the drawings, the transport device comprises a frame 1, preferably of metal, arranged to be inserted into the housing G of the cigarette dispenser shown in Rott et al. US. Patent No. 2,936,930. Frame 1 has an upstanding front wall 1a and an upstanding rear leg 1b having an end 1c bent to extend horizontally. Wall 1a and leg 1bc support an elongated trough 2 having a slot 2a extending longitudinally thereof. Slot 2a serves as a guide for the reciprocating claw 3 for transporting the cigarette Z from the magazine to the lighter and from the lighter to the dispensing opening in the front wall of the housing of the cigarette dispenser.

Claw 3 has a clip 5 pivotally mounted thereon and biased by a spring 4 to a cigarette clamping or closed position as shown in FIG. 3. Clip 5 has a relatively long upper arm or leg 6 and a relatively shorter lower arm or leg 6a projecting outwardly therefrom, legs 6 and 6a being formed with apertures which are aligned with each other.

The apertures in legs 6 and 6a slidably receive a feeler pin 7 which extends through the upper leg 6 and a considerable distance below the lower leg 6a. Peeler pin 7 is arranged to cooperate with a templet 8 which is formed integrally with trough 2 as by being bent inwardly from an edge of the trough to extend at least partially across a second slot 2b extending longitudinally of trough 2. Templet 8 is, in effect, a metal strip having a downwardly sloping ram 11 at its rear end, which is the end nearest to the cigarette lighter, a bevelled end 13 and a substantially horizontally extending intermediate portion 14. One longitudinal edge of slot 2b is formed, adjacent its forward end, as a bevelled surface 12 for a purpose to be described.

Feeler pin 7 has secured thereto, intermediate its ends and above the lower arm 6a, a bush or collar 9 which serves as a seat for one end of a coil spring 10 embracing pin 7, the other end of a coil spring 10 seating against the upper arm 6. Thus, pin 7 is so supported and guided that it can be displaced longitudinally of itself against the bias of spring 10. The result of this is that pin 7 can slide upwardly through arms 6 and 6a when it strikes the inclined surface 11 of control templet 8 during movement of cigarette Z from the ignition element or lighter to the left to the dispensing opening, with the clip 4 being, during this movement, in its cigarette clamping position and thus not movable further in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3.

In receiving the lowermost cigarette Z from the cigarette magazine 1 of the Rott et al. patent, holding claw 3 is approximately at the center of trough 2. In reaching this position, the lower end of pin 7 has ridden along the inner edge of bevelled end 13 of templet 8 and is pressed toward claw 3 by the inner edge of templet-8. This turns clip 5 away from claw 7 to the opened position as shown in FIG. 4. During movement of claw 3 in carrying cigarette Z toward the lighter 5 of the patented cigarette dispenser, pin 7 slides along the inner edge of templet 8 and along the inner edge of the downwardly bent portion 11 of control templet 8. Due to the slope of bent portion 11, pin 7 disengages the inner edge thereof in advance of the lower end of portion 11. Thereupon clip 5 is biased by spring 4 into its cigarette clampingposition to retain cigarette Z firmly clamped as the cigarette engages the lighter.

During return movement of claw 3, carrying the lighted and firmly clamped cigarette toward the dispensing opening, feeler pin 7 strikes against the inclined upper surface of portion 11 of control templet 8 and moves upwardly through arms 6 and 6a, compressing spring 10. Thus, clip 5 remains in its cigarette clamping position. As pin 7 again slides off the ramp 8 as it reaches the bevelled forward edge 13 thereof, it strikes the bevelled surface 12 and is again pressed toward claw 3. This opens clip 5 as the cigarette reaches the dispensing opening in the housing of the patented cigarette dispenser, so that the lighted cigarette Z may be easily removed from the holding claw 3 without damage thereto.

To summarize the operation of the device briefly, as claw 3 moves to the position of FIG. 1, pin 7, sliding along the bevelled edge surface 13 of templet 8, will have swung clip 5 to the opened position of FIG. 4. In the position of the parts shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the claw is opened to receive the cigarette. The claw then moves to the right in FIG. 1, and during this movement, pin 7 moves along the inner edge 11a of templet 8, including the inner edge of sloping portion 11, toward the free end 11b of the sloping portion 11 of templet 8. At a predetermined point along the inner edge 11a of sloping portion 11, dependent upon the length of pin 7, pin 7 will ride up over inner edge 11a onto the upper surface of portion 11 so that spring 4 can swing clip 5 to clamp the cigarette Z firmly into the claw 3. Claw 3 then continues to move the cigarette into engagement with the ignitor.

As the claw begins its return movement, the lower end of pin 7 is outwardly of the inner edge 11a of sloping portion 11, so that pin 7 engages the upper surface of portion 11 and is moved upwardly through the arms 6 and 6a against the 'bias of spring 10. At this time, clip 5 has firmly clamped cigarette Z into the claw 3. The upward movement of pin 7 assures that the cigarette is not squeezed too tightly or crushed.

As claw 3 continues to move to the left as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower end of pin 7 will eventually reach the bevelled edge 13 of templet 8 and will drop over this bevelled edge, allowing pin 7 to descend to the position shown in FIG. 3. Upon further movement to the left of claw 3, pin 7 rides along bevelled surface 12 and clip is thereby pivoted to the position of FIG. 4, opening claw 3 so that cigarette Z can be readily removed therefrom. It should be noted that pin 7 is not displaced longitudinally of itself when the clip is released for withdrawal of the lighted cigarette, but occupies the position shown in FIG. 4.

It will be appreciated that the arrangement shown in the drawings is only one of many possible variations of a control templetand a follower whereby the clip 5 may be opened and closed at predetermined points during its travel. Consequently, while a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodided otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigarette dispenser of the type including a cigarette magazine, a cigarette ignition device, a housing having a cigarette dispensing opening therein, a trough extending longitudinally between the ignition device and the dispensing opening, a claw slida ble along the trough to receive a cigarette from the magazine, transport the transport the lighted cigarette to the dispensing opening, and a spring-biased clip pivoted on the claw to clamp a cigarette in the claw during such transport; the improvement comprising feeler means mounted on said clip for bodily movement with said clip during pivoting of said clip; and a templet extending along said trough and engageable by said feeler means to operate said feeler means to pivot said clip to the opened position when said claw is in the cigarette receiving position and when said claw is adjacent said dispensing opening; said feeler means comprising a relatively elongated pin extending slidably through aligned respective apertures in a pair of spaced arms projecting from said clip, a collar on said pin engageable with one of said arms and a spring operative between said collar and the other of said arms and biasing said pin to engage said templet; said spring providing for movement of said pin relative to said arms in a direction to change said spring, to prevent said clip exerting a crushing pressure on a cigarette clamped by said clip in the claw.

2. In a cigarette dispenser of the type including a cigarette magazine, a cigarette ignition device, a housing having a cigarette dispensing opening therein, a trough extending longitudinally between the ignition device and the dispensing opening, a claw slidable along the trough to receive a cigarette from the magazine, transport the cigarette into engagement with the ignition device and transport the lighted cigarette to the dispensing opening, and a spring-biased clip pivoted on the claw to clamp a cigarette in the claw during such transport; the improvement comprising feeler means mounted on said clip for bodily movement with said clip during pivoting of said clip; and a templet extending along said trough and engageable by said feeler means to operate said feeler means to pivot said clip to the opened position when said claw is in the cigarette receiving position and when said claw is adjacent said dispensing opening; said feeler means comprising a relatively elongated pin and means mounting said pin on said clip for displacement of said pin longitudinally of itself relative to said clip, and further including spring means engaged between said clip and said pin and biasing said pin to engage said templet;.

3. In a cigarette dispenser, the improvement claimed in claim 2, including a pair of spaced arms extending from said spring biased clip and formed with apertures which are aligned to receive said pin; said spring being engaged between a collar on said pin and one of said arms, and embracing said pin.

4. In a cigarette dispenser of the type including a cigarette magazine, a cigarette ignition device, a housing having a cigarette dispensing opening therein, a trough extending longitudinally between the ignition device and the dispensing opening, a claw slidable along the trough to receive a cigarette from the magazine, transport the cigarette into engagement with the ignition device and transport the lighted cigarette to the dispensing opening, and

a spring-biased clip pivoted on the claw to clamp a cigarette in the claw during such transport; the improvement comprising'feeler means mounted on said clip for bodily movement with said clip during pivoting of said clip; and a templet extending along said trough and engageable by said feeler means to operate said feeler means to pivot said clip to the opened position when said claw is in the cigarette receiving position and when said claw is adjacent said dispensing opening; said feeler means compris ing a relatively elongated pin and means mounting said pin on said clip for displacement of said pin longitudinally of itself relative to said clip; said templet being formed integrally with said trough and including at least one surface which is inclined relative to the direction of travel of said pin over said templet.

5. In a cigarette dispenser, the improvement claimed in claim 4, in which said inclined surface comprises a ramp sloping downwardly toward, and having an end spaced from, the ignition device.

6. In a cigarette dispenser, the improvement claimed in claim 5, including a further inclined surface in the form of a bevelled nose on said templetand facing toward said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,878,960 3/ 1959 Holtsch 2214 2,936,930 5/1960 Rott et a1. 221l46 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,287 9/ 1912 Great Britain. 974,581 11/ 1964 Great Britain.

WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner. 

